The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicle steering and suspensions systems and, in particular, to a steering damper to drag link assembly attachment.
Automotive vehicle steering and suspension systems are well known and are used to steer the front wheels as well as support the vehicle while providing a smooth ride. It is also desirable to damp forces exerted on the wheels of a vehicle in order to keep them from being transferred to the body and steering wheel of a vehicle, which, in turn, results in a more comfortable driving experience. In order to minimize the forces transmitted to a steering wheel through the steering linkage, many steering and suspension systems include a steering damper connected between a drag link assembly (also sometimes called a tie rod assembly, depending upon the particular steering linkage configuration) and an axle housing. The steering damper is a shock absorber that reduces undesirable movement—known as bump steer—that otherwise might be transmitted to the steering wheel when one of the front tires encounters a road surface irregularity.
In order to attach the steering damper to the drag link assembly, some have done so by drilling a tapered hole through a flat pad portion formed on a solid rod of the drag link assembly. The steering damper is then mounted to the rod with a tapered stud in order to form a tapered pin joint. This positively locates the steering damper (both axially and rotationally) in the correct position on the drag link assembly. But this type of attachment requires more forging and machining operations than is desired, and as a result costs more than is desired for this attachment.
Others, when employing a hollow tube for the rod portion, have swaged a portion of the hollow tube down to a smaller diameter at the location where the steering damper is to be attached. A bracket, with an opening matching the smaller diameter, can then be positively located axially by mounting it on the smaller diameter portion of the tube. For the steering linkage arrangement that employs the hollow tube, this bracket must be able to rotated relative to the tube while the drag link assembly is being installed and adjusted, so it works adequately. This type of attachment, however, does not positively locate the bracket rotationally, and is more applicable to a hollow tube that can be easily swaged rather than a drag link assembly that employs solid rods. Thus, for drag link assemblies that employ a solid tube and/or require positive rotational retention to maintain the proper orientation of the steering damper attachment assembly, this type of attachment is not particularly desirable either.